The Convict and the Cattleman by Allison Merritt Read Free Book Online

truth out of Bridgit. Her shoulders slumped and her face crumpled.
    “Is there anything you can do to bring your brothers and sister here?” Natty asked.
    Bridgit shrugged, a small, hopeless gesture. “I doubt it. My aunt and uncle wouldn’t bring Donovan to visit at the gaol. They’re ashamed of what I did. It’s better that way, though it was hard being without them. I don’t have the means to care for them out here, much less pay for the voyage. It’s for the best, I’m sure. Mrs. McMann will bring Bonnie up right and proper. She’s a good woman. Bonnie is young enough she might yet forget what went on.”
    She sounded brave, so accepting of the fact that her life was in shambles. That she’d never see her family again. His own loss burned his stomach. Charlotte was gone, and all he had left of her was a young child he didn’t know how to take care of alone.
    Bess, always optimistic, patted Bridgit’s arm. “It seems hard now, but with Jonah teaching you the ropes and showing you New South Wales isn’t all that bad, you’ll do fine. Someday you might see your family again. Don’t give up hope, child.”
    He ignored Bess’s gaze. Bridgit wasn’t a book on a shelf or a vase on a table; she was a woman and looked every inch of it. She cared for her brothers and sister. Protected them when her parents couldn’t. If she cared for his niece the same way, she’d be worth every miserable mile he’d driven. Pity she wasn’t old and wrinkled. He’d feel more certain he’d done the right thing.
     

 
    6
     
    “Jonah, you bring that gel back here as soon as you’re able. I like the company. Don’t hide her away until you decide you don’t need her anymore.”
    Bess’s statement was more of an order than a suggestion. It warmed Bridgit’s heart. The older couple seemed strange at first, but they’d treated her well.
    Bess hugged Bridgit and then stepped away. “If you need anything, tell Jonah. Make sure he sends for me. It only takes a few hours to reach the station by horse. I can get there quickly.”
    “I will. Thank you for being so kind.”
    Bess looked at Mr. Andrus before she answered. “Anyone would do the same. Especially if he was raised up proper.”
    He didn’t respond. “Come on, Bridgit. If we linger forever, we’ll be here another night.”
    Saying good-bye to the Paynes reminded her of leaving her home. She hoped the other employees at the station would be easy to get along with like her new friend.
    She didn’t think of the homestead as it faded into the distance. The view claimed her attention. Beyond the Blue Mountains, the land turned red, the forest less dense as tall grass sprang up. There was no sign of a house or civilization, but somewhere out there was Bridgit’s temporary home.
    Mr. Andrus glanced at her. “This is the border of the station. We’ll be at the house soon.”
    It was vast and empty, beautiful in a rugged way. “All this land is yours?”
    The lines around his eyes softened. “Aye. Laurie Lark. Called after my mother. It’s twenty thousand hectares and four thousand head of cattle. The biggest cattle station in Australia.”
    “Cattle? I thought graziers raised sheep?”
    “For now most of them do. Someday beef will be big business. It’s a matter of importing the right lines and raising them to withstand the weather and pests. Shipping will improve with time. We’ll send beef to the isles someday.”
    She didn’t miss the pride in his voice. “Where did you find four thousand head of cattle?”
    It was a number she couldn’t imagine.
    “India, mostly. The majority are Brahma, with a few Angus cows. I have two bulls from Scotland. It makes for a hearty breed with plenty of flesh on its bones. My father saw the importance of bringing cattle to Australia. Forty years’ worth of hard work put the station where it is today. For now it’s not as lucrative as sheep, but it holds its own.”
    His clothes, gig and horse indicated success. He had